Presentation on Albert Camus and Absurdism

1. Prepared by : Avani Jani
M.A Sem:2
Paper : 10- History of 20th century Literature
Roll no: 3
Enrollment no: 4069206420220014
Submitted to: Department of English, MKBU

2. Points to Ponder:
1] Absurd
2] Absurdism
3] Albert Camus
4] Philosophy of Albert Camus
5] Absurdity and Suicide
6] Conclusion
7] Work Citiation

3. Absurd
● The word Absurd means - stupid and unreasonable, or silly in a humorous
way.
(“Absurd | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary”)
● Absurd refers to something that is extremely unreasonable, illogical, or
foolish. It can also refer to a situation or event that is bizarre, ridiculous, or
nonsensical.

4. Absurdism
● As per .merriam webster Dictionary, Absurdism is ‘Works of the absurd
often feature surreal or fantastical elements and explore themes of
alienation, meaninglessness, and the breakdown of language and
communication.’ (“Absurdism Definition & Meaning”)
● Absurdism, is a philosophical and literary movement that emerged in
the 20th century, particularly in France, and is associated with writers
such as Albert Camus, Samuel Beckett, and Eugene Ionesco.
● Absurdism is characterized by the belief that the human condition is
fundamentally absurd, and that human beings must confront the
meaninglessness and absurdity of existence. Thomas Nagel puts
some question which is raised by absurdism such as ‘-Even if what we
did now were going to matter in a million years, how could that keep
our present concerns from being absurd? If their mattering now is not
enough to accomplish that, how would it help if they mattered a million
years from now?Whether what we do now will matter in a million years
could make the crucial difference only if its mattering in a million years
depended on its mattering, period.’ (Bendall )

5. ● Whether what we do now will matter in a million years could make the crucial
difference only if its mattering in a million years depended on its mattering,
period
● Dipak Soliya sir discussed Absurdism while talking about Albert
Camus,Absurdism suggests that there is no inherent meaning or purpose to
life, but that we can create our own meaning through our actions and
choices.
● Absurdist works often use surreal or fantastical elements, and challenge the
reader or viewer's expectations of what is normal or rational.
● absurd refers to something that is nonsensical or illogical, while absurdism is a
philosophical and literary movement that explores the idea of the fundamental
meaninglessness of existence and the need for individuals to create their own
meaning.

6. ● During the period of World Wars, Absurdism emerged as a reaction to the mass killings and destruction that
characterized those wars, leading many writers to believe that human existence was meaningless. In the context of
war, Absurdism can be seen as a critique of the idea that nations engage in wars to achieve some ultimate goal, as
such goals are illusory and the brutality of war is ultimately against humanity.
● Kierkegaard and Camus were influential writers who proposed solutions to the problem of absurdism. Kierkegaard's
"The Sickness Unto Death" argues that individuals can find meaning in life by developing a personal relationship with
God. On the other hand, Camus considers adopting or creating a meaning framework, such as religion, as
philosophical suicide, as it involves submitting to an idea or being beyond one's observed limits of freedom.
● Camus suggests three solutions to absurdism. The first is suicide, where a person ends their life due to considering
it meaningless, boring, or painful. The second is acceptance of the absurd, where one acknowledges the
meaninglessness of life but still chooses to live life to the fullest extent of freedom, without submitting to any
religious or moral constants. The third solution involves rebelling against the absurd and creating one's own
meaning in life, even in the face of meaninglessness.

7. Albert Camus
● Albert Camus (1913-1960) was a French philosopher, writer, and journalist who is best
known for his philosophical essay "The Myth of Sisyphus" and his novels "The Stranger"
and "The Plague". Camus was a leading figure of the existentialist movement and a
proponent of absurdism, a philosophy that explores the meaninglessness of human
existence and the need for individuals to create their own meaning.
● Camus grew up in poverty in Algeria and moved to France to study philosophy. He became
involved in the French Resistance during World War II and was awarded the Nobel Prize in
Literature in 1957 for his literary and philosophical contributions to the world. (Todd)
● In "The Myth of Sisyphus," Camus argues that human existence is fundamentally absurd
and meaningless, but that individuals can rebel against this meaninglessness by
embracing the absurdity of existence and creating their own meaning. He famously wrote,
"The struggle itself toward the heights is enough to fill a man's heart. One must imagine
Sisyphus happy." (Camus)
● Camus' novels explore themes of alienation, isolation, and the absurdity of human
existence. "The Stranger" tells the story of Meursault, a man who kills an Arab for no
apparent reason, and who is condemned to death for his lack of remorse. "The Plague" is
a novel about a fictional town that is struck by a deadly disease, and explores the themes
of suffering, death, and the struggle to find meaning in the face of adversity.
● Camus' work has had a significant influence on philosophy, literature, and popular culture,
and his ideas continue to be studied and debated today.

8. Philosophy of Albert Camus:
● Sagi and Sagi claims in their book that Camus's philosophy is dynamic and changes over time. The two
pivots of this philosophy, which also establish its boundaries, are The ‘Myth of Sisyphus’ and ‘The Rebel.’
(Sagi and Sagi)
● His philosophy of absurdism can be exemplified in his essay ‘Le Mythe de Sisyphe’ (The Myth of Sisyphus:
1942).
● Albert Camus (1913-1960) gives a quite different account of philosophy and politics of existentialism from that
of Sartre. Perhaps the most striking difference from Sartre is his conception of the absurd.
● For Sartre absurdity belongs to the world prior to activity of consciousness, while Camus’s idea of the absurd
is closer to Kierkegaard and Nietzsche—the absurd is a direct consequence of the absence of God.(Camus )
● Without God the discrepancy between human aspirations and the world is acute. The human condition is
characterized by the probability of suffering and the certainty of death—a fate which human reason cannot accept as
reasonable.
● The absurd comes with the realization that the world is not rational: “At this point of his effort man stands face to face
with the irrational. He feels within him his longing for happiness and for reason. The absurd is born of this
confrontation between the human need and the unreasonable silence of the world” This confrontation is epitomized
in The Plague (1947) in the painful death of a child.(Camus )
● Camus’ conclusion on the Sisyphus is that-“One must imagine Sisyphus happy.” (Camus )

9. Absurdity and Suicide:
● After reading Camus, The most profound and significant philosophical
question is whether or not to end one's own life. Deciding the value of life
itself is the essential inquiry of philosophy.
● As per Daniel Shaw’s research, Camus’ central thesis in The Myth of Sisyphus is
that suicide is not the proper response to, nor is it the solution of, the problem of
absurdity. Yet many of his literary protagonists either commit suicide or are self-
destructive in other ways.He argues that the protagonists that best live up to the
characteristics of the absurd man that Camus outlines in the Myth uniformly either
commit suicide or consent to their destruction by behaving in such a manner as to
invite death. It is my contention that this raises serious questions about the validity
of Camus’ arguments that suicide is not the proper response to the recognition that
life is absurd.(Shaw )
● One response to the absurd, according to Camus, is suicide. Camus argues
that suicide is a philosophical problem and that the only serious question is
whether or not to take one's own life. However, Camus ultimately rejects
suicide as a solution, stating that it is an escape from the absurd rather than
a resolution of it.

10. ● One may find that Albert Camus is in favour of suicide and celebrates death through his very
famous absurd works- “A Happy Death”
● A Happy Death: There is a reference to suicide in "A Happy Death" by Albert Camus. The
main character, Patrice Mersault, contemplates suicide at various points throughout the
novel as he struggles with the meaning of life and his own mortality.
● In fact, the opening sentence of the book reads, "Mother died today. Or maybe yesterday; I
can't be sure," which hints at a sense of detachment from life and a fascination with death.
(Camus )
● In one particularly significant scene, Patrice has a dream in which he contemplates jumping
from a high cliff. This dream serves as a metaphor for his desire to escape the mundane and
unsatisfying aspects of life and to embrace the unknown, even if it means risking everything.
● While suicide is not explicitly condoned or celebrated in the novel, it is presented as a
possible outcome of existential struggles and a means of asserting one's own freedom and
autonomy. However, the novel ultimately suggests that true happiness and fulfillment can be
found in embracing life and accepting one's own mortality, rather than trying to escape from
it.

11. ● At any street corner the feeling of absurdity can strike any man in the
face. As it is, in its distressing nudity, in its light without effulgence, it is
elusive. But that very difficulty deserves reflection. It is probably true
that a man remains forever unknown to us and that there is in him
something irreducible that escapes us. But practically I know men and
recognize them by their behavior, by the totality of their deeds, by the
consequences caused in life by their presence.((Camus )
● In this particular passage, Camus is suggesting that at any moment, a
person can suddenly become aware of the absurdity of their own existence,
the feeling that life lacks inherent meaning or purpose. This feeling is
difficult to articulate because it is not something tangible or concrete, but
rather a sense of emptiness or pointlessness that pervades human life.
● However, despite this inherent elusiveness of the feeling of absurdity,
Camus argues that it is worth reflecting on because it highlights the fact
that human beings are fundamentally mysterious and unknowable. He
suggests that while we may never fully understand another person, we can
still recognize them by their actions and the impact they have on the world
around them.
● while the feeling of absurdity may be difficult to grasp, we can still come to
understand something about the human condition by observing the way that

12. Conclusion:
● Despite its bleak outlook, absurdism also offers a sense of
freedom and possibility, as it encourages individuals to reject
the false promises of traditional religion and morality and to
embrace their own unique perspective on the world. While it
may be difficult to come to terms with the idea that life lacks
inherent meaning or purpose, absurdism suggests that
individuals can find meaning and fulfillment in their own
personal pursuits and experiences, rather than in external ideals
or systems.
● Overall, Camus and his philosophy of absurdism continue to be
influential in modern philosophical discourse, particularly in
discussions around the nature of existence and the human
condition.

13. Works Cited
“Absurd | English meaning - Cambridge Dictionary.” Cambridge Dictionary, 8 March 2023,
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/absurd.
“Absurdism Definition & Meaning.” Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/absurdism.
Bendall, Kent. The Journal of Philosophy, https://www.jstor.org/stable/i309249.
Camus, Albert. Camus: The Myth of Sisyphus. The University of Hawaii,
http://www2.hawaii.edu/~freeman/courses/phil360/16.%20Myth%20of%20Sisyphus.pdf.
Camus, Albert. Great Ideas Myth of Sisyphus. Penguin UK, 2005.
Camus, Albert. A Happy Death. Translated by Richard Howard, Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group, 1995.
Camus, Albert. The Plague. Penguin Books, Limited, 2010.
Sagi, Abraham, and Avi Sagi. Albert Camus and the Philosophy of the Absurd. Translated by Batya Stein, Rodopi, 2002. Accessed 15 March
2023.
Shaw, Daniel. “Absurdity and Suicide.” Philosophy Research Archives. Philosophy Research Archives,
https://www.pdcnet.org/pra/content/pra_1985_0011_0000_0209_0223.
Todd, Olivier. Albert Camus: A Life. Hachette Books, 2000. Accessed 15 March 2023.

14. Thank you